Valve.



S. E. BENNETT.

VALVE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7,1911.

1 01 1 147 I Patented Dec.12,1911.

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UN 1T $TAT PATT FFTQE.

SAMUEL E. BENNETT, OF SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at South VVilliamsport, in the county of Lycoming and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements inValves, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to valves and more particularly to an air valveof that character used in beer drawing apparatus, and the invention hasfor its primary object to provide a valve of this character consistingof an attaching body adapted for connection to the beer keg and to anair hose or pipe, and a valve carrying casing removably engaged in saidbody.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means formounting the valve member, whereby, in the event that foreign particlesof matter should find their way between the valve member and its seat,said valve member and its case may be easily removed without liabilityof losing the valve member, and such foreign matter removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air valve of thischaracter of eX- tremely simple construction, and one which is highlyefficient and durable in use.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated inthe-accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionof a valve embodying my improvements; Fig 2 is a section taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the end plateof the valve case; Fig. 4 is a similar view of the valve member; Fig. 5is a longitudinal section of a still further modification; and Fig. 6 isa detail perspective view of the valve case removed from the bodymember.

Referring in detail to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to4 thereof, 5 designates the body or attaching member which ispreferably, though not necessarily, formed of brass and consists of theex teriorly threaded portion 6 at one end of which an annular flange 7is formed. The face of this flange is provided with a rectangular boss 8for the accommodation of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 7, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911. Serial No. 631,750.

suitable wrench in attaching or removing the body member to or from thebeer keg. A reduced nipple 9 is also integrally formed upon theattaching member and is pro vided with a series of peripheral ribs orcorrugations for engagement with the walls of an air hose or tube, (notshown). The body member is provided with a bore 10 which is threaded asindicated at 11 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. This boreis extended through the hose engaging nipple 9, such portion thereofbeing reduced in diameter as indicated at 12.

The attaching member above described is adapted for threaded engagementin a suitable bushing arranged in the wall of the beer keg, and in thethreaded bore 11 thereof the valve case 13 is removably engaged, saidcase being provided with the reduced exteriorly threaded longitudinalextension 14 for engagement with the threads of said bore. The enlargedcylindrical body of the valve case is of tubular form and is open at oneend. In this open end of the valve case a plate 15 is fitted, said platehaving close frictional engagement with the wall of the case. The plate15 is provided with a plurality of air outlet openings 16 and hascentrally formed on its inner face a boss 17. The other end of the bodyof the valve case is provided with a seat 17 to receive thefrusto-conical head 19 of the longitudinally movable valve member 18,the cylindrical shank 20 of which fits loosely in the bore 14 of theextension 14 formed upon the end of the case. The head 19 of the valvemember also has formed upon its face a boss 21 which is slotted asindicated at 22 to receive a screw driver or other suitable implementwhereby said valve member may be readily removed in the event that itbecomes fixed to its seat after a long continued period of disuse. Thevalve member 18 is normally held upon its seat by means of a spring 23the ends of which receive the bosses 21 and 17 formed upon said valvemember and-the plate 15 respectively.

The operation of my improved valve is similar to that ofthe common valveused for this purpose. The valve member 18 is forced from its seat bythe air pressure from the hose which connects the valve with a suitableair reservoir or tank, thereby permitting the egress of the air throughthe outlet openings 16 in the plate 15, whereby suflicient pressure ismaintained in the beer keg to force the beer through the pipes fromwhich it is drawn by opening the usual beer cock or faucet. As soon asthe faucet is closed, the pressure in the keg immediately returns thevalve member 18 to its seat and prevents passage of the liquid into theair hose or tube which would rot the same and give to the beer anundesirable taste. Particles of wood or other foreign matter frequentlybecome lodged between the valve and its seat so that a certain amount ofthe liquid will find its way into the hose or tube. It then becomesnecessary to dislodge such foreign particles so that the valve mayentirely close. In order to do this, the'valve case must necessarily beremoved and such removal of the case has heretofore been attended withgrave danger of loss of the valve member. My improved valve is designedto prevent any possibility of the loss of this member and it will bereadily seen that when the valve case is removed, the valve member whichis located therein cannot become separated or dislodged from the case.By inserting a wire or other suitable instrument through one of theopenings 16 in the end plate 15, the valve may be lifted and the foreignmatter removed. The periphery of the valve case is preferably roughenedor knurled as indicated at 24 so as to facilitate its removal.

In Figs. 5 and (3 there is illustrated a modification of the devicewherein the valve case 13 is considerably shorter or of less length thanin the forms above set forth, the valve spring being omitted, and thepressure within the beer keg relied upon to retain the valve member uponits seat. The end plate 15 in the end of the casing is not provided witha central boss in this form of the device and in lieu thereof anadditional outlet opening for the air is provided so that the keg may bevery quickly supplied, and the valve member immediately seated when thedispensing faucet is turned off. It is of course understood that thehead of the valve member in this latter form is not provided with theboss, so that the slot 22 therein extends entirely across the face ofsaid head.

By the elimination of the spring and the reduction in the size of thevalve case, the invention may be manufactured at an extremely low cost,while at the same time a high degree of efficiency is maintained.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and operation ofmy invention in its various forms will be fully understood.

.The removable mounting of the valve member is of material importance indevices of this character wherein the valve must be repaired and placedin proper working order with the slightest possible loss of time.

The valve seat may be easily and quickly reground at any time withoutrequiring the disconnection of the body or attaching member from thehose or tube.

Many other features of novelty and advantage will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

Vhile I have shown and described the preferred forms of my device, itwill be understood that the invention is susceptible of many other minormodifications without departing from the essential feature orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a valve ofthe character described, the combination with a body having anexteriorly threaded portion and an interiorly threaded bore, of atubular case provided with a reduced exteriorly threaded extension forengagement with the threads of said bore, one end of said case beingadapted for engagement with the end of the body and being provided witha valve seat, the other.

end of said case being open, a perforated plate fixed in the open end ofsaid case, and a valve member having a cylindrical shank looselydisposed in the bore of the case eX- tension and normally engaged uponthe valve seat.

2. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a bodyhaving an exteriorly threaded portion and an interiorly threaded bore,of a valve case having a reduced exteriorly threaded extension formed onone end for removable engagement in the bore of the body, said casebeing provided with an internal valve seat at the end on which saidextension is formed, the other end of said case being open, a perforatedplate fixed in the open end of the case, a valve member having afrusto-conical head normally engaged upon said seat, the interiordiameter of the case being appreciably greater than the diameter of saidhead, said valve member also including a shank loosely disposed andlongitudinally movable in the bore of the extension of the valve case,the head of said valve member projecting beyond the seat into the valvecase, and a spring located between the head of the valve member and theplate in the end of said case to yieldingly retain said valve member onits seat.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

SAMUEL E. BENNETT.

WVitnesses:

M. C. LYDDANE, E. L. WHITE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

